Life Lessons From the 5th Grade
by Mikey
- Open book tests are hard. If you ever hear there is going to be an open book test, this is what you need to do: a) freak out b) calm down c) study hard d) wash, rinse, repeat
- Don’t multi-task. It is a really, really, really bad idea to read your Percy Jackson book (Battle of the Labyrinth) behind your social studies book in class.
- Don’t get cocky. If you take a math test and you think you aced it, and then tell everyone that you aced it–including your mom–don’t be surprised when you get a D. It’s called Karma.
- Don’t go super fast during tests because you will make careless mistakes. If you have extra time, check your answers to make sure you weren’t being cocky. (see number 3)
- 4th graders will copy all the games you play at recess because they have no imagination.
- If people laugh at you, just think in your mind that those people are overrated.
- The Lightening Thief movie is nothing like the book. It is the most inaccurate thing I have ever seen in my life. I think that the movie directors got the story mixed up but when they realized it they had already spent a lot of money on the movie and couldn’t redo it without going over budget. The movie is so wrong that if you do a book report in class on The Lightning Thief I will totally know that you only watched the movie.
- Always practice for music class! It will backfire on you if you don’t!
- Having your mom work at the school is awesome because if you forget your clarinet and give her puppy dog eyes she will go pick it up on her lunch time.
Really awesome photo. Even more awesome “life lessons.” :)
Thanks for the lessons, Mikey! I’m going to share this with my 3rd grader so he can be better prepared in two years. I think lessons 1, 3, 4 & 6 will be especially helpful for future reference.
I love #6 & #7. #6 is a lesson many adults could also use.
Great, great, great. Also love the hand on the dog.
Fantastic!! What a great start in life, to know those lessons so early! I’m 57 and I’m not that wise.
Sam once got a D on a math test because he multiplied a whole section instead of dividing. Got them all correct, but… I had to breath ever so deeply before I spoke.
Just have to say it again, gorgeous photo.
Oh — I love this! I sooo remember #3 happening to me too! It was so terrible!
#6 is just awesome, that he has already realized that! Good thing you have this written on the internet so that you can remind him of it, whenever its needed!
And, I think he already has your wit!
Beautiful picture!
Love this list, and I’m so impressed by the wisdom and wit your young man possesses!
Number 2 (multi-tasking) reminds me of an incident with my now 15 year-old son … many years ago at parent teacher conferences our son’s fifth grade teacher informed us that our son was reading in pretty much every spare minute he had, including DURING spelling tests. He went on to say he didn’t have the heart to tell him to stop, because he was getting 100% each time…
I’m going to show Mikey’s list to my 4th grader :)
#6 is my new life motto. Because nobody is as superior as they’d have you believe. Go Mikey.
This made me smile. :)
Here’s a hint for #1: first answer all the questions you know, then use the index to pinpoint where you’ll find the answer to the questions you are unsure of. It’s faster than flipping through the chapter to search for an answer. Keep a bookmark in the index!
I LOVE that picture.
And he’s dead right on open book tests. I didn’t get good at them until my Intro to Tax course in college. It was then I learned Fairfax Avenue’s trick of answering what you know and using the index for the rest! :)
How true!
Do you mind if I read these to my 6th graders in class today? I think it will make them smile.
He is such an old soul Jules!
Excellent advice! My little man is totally on board with #7. Now if I could only get him to realize numbers 2 and 4. Maybe I should have him read this post, as advice from an older and wiser 5th grader is infinitely preferable to advice from mom.